Healthy+happy=productive. This is the formula for a corporate wellness plan that every company should adopt. Corporate wellness is designed at creating and implementing an overall healthy lifestyle program for employees. This Gen-Y generation is all about those feel good vibes. They want apps that give them exactly five minutes of yoga poses to start their day, cold brew coffee tumblers with the best #mondaymotivation sayings and playlists that inspire their commute. Efficiency is key, and having access to a well-rounded and productive corporate wellness program is right up their alley.
The new generation wants to not only perform well but also feel well. It’s way past benefits; it’s gym culture, nutrition, social well-being and mental health. Employees want to embrace the culture of health created at the workplace, started from top-down and supported in a healthy physical environment.
- Because nobody likes cranky co-workers — It’s a well-known fact that working out de-stresses you. Lowering those cortisol levels help balance out those elevated feelings of workplace anxiety. However, the food options throughout the day also contribute to those frazzeled feelings. Nod your head yes if you’ve eaten the bagels and donuts on Monday morning; or had the candy by the reception desk; or the lame sandwiches during the lunch meeting. A good corporate wellness program provides the opportunity for employees to make healthy choices. When we eat healthy, we experience boosts in our energy and can stay more engaged throughout the workday. According to the Harvard Health Publications, those who eat a lot during lunch experience the biggest afternoon slump. Where energy is the issue, it’s better to eat smaller, healthier meals throughout the day. This can reduce your brain fatigue via the steady supply of nutrients.
- Clarity of thought gets stuff done — Most training programs require focus. Given the ability to receive discounted or comped gym memberships, employees can take advantage of adopting a training program that will help transfer focus to their daily workplace activities. Avoiding brain fog — feelings of lack of focus and mental clarity — by incorporating a daily fitness routine and eliminating bad foods, such as those high in sugar.
- Look good, feel good, play good — It’s not just about getting in shape. It’s about the overall positive effect on the psyche that being healthy has on a person. When there are positive, endorphine-like effects from being active, employees are more productive. Endorphines are a feel-good hormone, and research suggests that a regular fitness routine can make you happier and give you increased energy.
- We’re tired of being tired — Lack of sleep from being overworked and stressed out, poor nutrition during the workweek, smoking, happy hour, binge watching, etc. The list goes on and on as to why we are soooo tired. This is when the immune kicks the bucket and we get sick, either physically sick or mentally sick; we start to take days off from work; our insurance is working overtime; and suddenly our company is forking over mucho dinero to pay for healthcare and feeling the repercussions of you being out of the office and missing that oh-so-important company meeting. When instead, they could have offered gym memberships, healthier lunchtime options at work, nap time (wait, we don’t all work at Google), discounts on health insurance premiums and even cash rewards for fitness and nutrition challenges, keeping you healthy and dabbling in preventative health.
- Schedule me time — the people demand to be disconnected. Give employees the opportunity to take an hour to be active without their email. Let them step back, away from all things job related. By taking advantage of a company related wellness discount at the local gym or yoga studio, employees can disconnect and come back refreshed, ready to carpe the diem out of the day.
Corporate wellness is compelling. It provides employees with the opportunity to feel good, and in turn more productive. Creating an effective program that employees can adopt quickly and carry out seamlessly will improve the mental, physical and social well being of the company.
Current Gen-Y mood: hopeful
Originally published at medium.com